Peering into how rechargeable lithium ion batteries function
Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 07:00
in Physics & Chemistry
Nanoparticle electrodes in lithium-ion batteries have both near-surface and interior contributions to their redox capacity, each with distinct rate capabilities. Using combined electron microscopy, synchrotron X-ray methods and ab initio calculations, Brookhaven National Laboratory researchers have investigated the lithiation pathways that occur in NiO electrodes. They found that the near-surface electroactive (Ni2+→Ni0) sites saturated very quickly, and then encountered unexpected difficulty in propagating the phase transition into the electrode (referred to as a "shrinking-core" mode).